The matches are part of the inaugural Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup, which features three of the top four teams on FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Both contests are rematch of elimination round games that ended in penalty shootouts during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011.
Japan Women’s National Team won the Women’s World Cup via shootout after a thrilling 2-2 tie in the title match vs. the U.S. Women, the most-watched soccer event on cable television. In the quarterfinal stage, the U.S. won in a shootout over Brazil following a 2-2 tie.
ESPN’s presentation of the USA–Brazil World Cup match earned a nomination for the 2012 Sports Emmy Awards. The three teams will face each other in a round-robin pre-Olympic series at the Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup.
Play-by-play commentator Adrian Healey and analyst Julie Foudy will call the matches.
International Friendlies schedule:
Sunday, April 1 at 6:30am EST on ESPN2 and ESPN3: #1 USA vs. #3 Japan (Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup); Adrian Healey and Julie Foudy
Tuesday, April 3 at 7:00am EST on ESPN2 and ESPN3: #1 USA vs. #4 Brazil (Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup); Healey and Foudy
All matches and times subject to change
# – FIFA Women’s World Ranking
More Soccer on ESPN Platforms: 15 Additional Matches Saturday through Monday
In addition to the Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup, ESPN media platforms (ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes) will carry 15 matches live beginning Saturday at 9:55 a.m. through Monday. Highlights:
Premier League: The top two teams in league standings – Manchester City vs. Sunderland on Saturday at 9:55 a.m. and Blackburn Rovers vs. Manchester United on Monday at 2:55 p.m. – will be on ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes
La Liga: Osasuna will host La Liga giant Real Madrid on Saturday at 2 p.m., one of three league matches on ESPN platforms this weekend
Serie A: ESPN3 will carry six Serie A matches highlighted by Catania hosting league-leading AC Milan on Saturday at 11:55 a.m. and No. 2 Juventus vs. No. 4 Napoli on Sunday at 2:40 p.m.
Schedule:
Saturday, March 31
@9:55am EST on ESPN2 / ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes: Manchester City vs. Sunderland (Premier League)
@11:55am EST on ESPN3: Catania vs. AC Milan (Serie A)
@1:50pm EST on ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes: Osasuna vs. Real Madrid (La Liga)
@2:40pm EST on ESPN3: Parma vs Lazio (Serie A)
@4:15pm EST on ESPN3: Benfica vs Braga (Portuguese Liga)
@6:25pm EST on ESPN Deportes: Cruz Azul vs San Luis (Mexican Primera Division)
Sunday, April 1
@6:25am EST on ESPN3: AS Roma vs Novara (Serie A)
@8:55am EST on ESPN3: Inter Milan vs Genoa (Serie A)
@8:55am EST on ESPN3: Siena vs Udinese (Serie A)
@9:25am EST on ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes: Hannover 96 vs Borussia Monchengladbach (German Bundesliga)
@10:30am EST on ESPN3: Vitesse vs AZ Alkmaar (Dutch Eredivisie)
@11:50am EST on ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes: Valencia vs Levante (La Liga)
@2:40pm EST on ESPN3: Juventus vs Napoli (Serie A)
@3:20pm EST on ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes: Villarreal vs Espanyol (La Liga)
Monday, April 2
@2:55pm EST on ESPN2 / ESPN3 / ESPN Deportes: Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester United (Premier League)
